MENSTRUATION

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MENSTRUATION

• Euphemisms for Menstrual Period
• all anal sex week
• aunt Rose (Ruby, May, etc.) is visiting
• bitchy witchy week
• Bloody Mary
• blow job week
• crimson tide, crimson wave
• the Curse
• closed for maintenance
• code red

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MENSTRUATION

• Euphemisms for Menstrual Period (Contd)
• Draculas tea bag
• red flag
• leak week
• Little Red Riding Hood in the woods
• monthly visitor
• Mother Natures gift
• Mother Natures curse
• oil change
• Old Faithful

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MENSTRUATION

• Euphemisms for Menstrual Period (Contd)
• the rag
• rag time
• raining down South
• riding the cotton cowboy
• scarlet letter
• shark bait
• TOM (time of the month)
• trolling for vampires
• wound of Eve

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MENSTRUATION

• Menses latin plural of month mensis
• Onset
• Menarche mean age 12.6
• 1900
• Mean age 16
• Diet changes, body fat
• Lasts until Age 45-55

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MENSTRUATION

• Historically menses rare event
• Pregnant or lactating
• This Century
• 38 years x 12 months 456 periods subtract two
  kids 24 months 432 periods vs. about 40
  before.
• More estrogen circulating reproductive cancers?
• Is there a comparable event or process in males?
• First ejaculation spermarche (with or without
  orgasm) around age 13-14, usually does not
  contain mature sperm until 1-2 years later.
  Nocturnal emissions or wet dreams.

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MENSTRUATION

• PSYCHO-SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT
• Ancient views
• power, bleed but dont die!
• Ceremonies
• red ochre, many cultures
• associated with the moon, moon blood
• goddesses of ancient religions associated with
  the moon, fertility
• calendars based on the moon
• blood seen as cleansing and with magic powers
• Patriarchal societies
• dangerous
• evil, dirty
• ruins crops, food
• isolation

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MENSTRUATION
PSYCHO-SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT (CONTD)

• Contemporary view
• disease model
• pain
• disability
• mood swings
• bloating, discomfort

• shameful
• curtail activities
• no sex
• PMS

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PSYCHO-SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT (CONTD)
MENSTRUATION

• Attributed to hormonal fluctuations no
  scientific data
• Mens hormones fluctuate in 24 hrs. many times
• Social contagion

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PSYCHO-SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT (CONTD)
MENSTRUATION

• Amenorrhea
• primary
• secondary (medications, weight loss, pregnancy,
  etc.)
• Dysmenorrhea pain prostaglandins

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MENSTRUATION

• Role of Pharmaceutical Industry
• Very negative expectations ? anxiety ? physical
  symptoms
• Unhealthy diet, no exercise, smoking
• Endometriosis
• Diane Rubles research
• Katharina Dalton (England) murder acquittals due
  to PMS

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MENSTRUATION

• Feminine role
• sweet
• soft
• pliable
• never angry
• PMS
• allowed to rage
• Severe PMS PREMENSTRUAL DYSPHORIC DISORDER (DSM)
  very contested, not evidence based

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MENSTRUATION

• Medicalization
• 50s Valium
• 90s Prozac (Sarafem)
• PMS not universal
• studies failed to show a decrement or fluctuation
  in physical (sports) or intellectual performances
  in the LUTEAL or premenstrual phase

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MENSTRUATION

• Sex During Menstruation
• cultural, religious taboos
• up to people involved
• no medical contraindication
• orgasm relieves cramps

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MENSTRUATION

• Sex Drive and Cycle
• 3 Reported Peaks
• at ovulation
• increase in testosterone causes more interest in
  sex
• increase in estrogen makes women sexier, more
  attractive to men
• just before/during menses
• just after menses

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MENSTRUATION

• Why not have sex during menses?
• 70 avoid it, give these reasons
• dirty, unhygienic
• told not to
• might catch disease
• uncomfortable
• embarrassing
• Almost 100 no oral sex
• Masturbation increases

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MENSTRUATION

• Hormonal Interplay
• Hypothalamus
• GNRH gonadotrophin-releasing hormone
• Uterine Phases
• menstrual (days 1-5)
• proliferative (days 6-13)
• ovulatory (day 14)
• secretory (rest of cycle)

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MENSTRUATION

• Hormonal Interplay (Contd)
• Ovarian Phases
• follicular (days 1-12)
• ovulatory (days 12-15)
• luteal (days 16-28)
• Pituitary
• FSH
• LH
• Ovarian Follicle
• Estrogens and Progesterone

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MENSTRUATION

• MENSTRUAL CYCLE
• 28 days
• Days 1-5
• low estrogen in blood signals the pituitary to
  secrete lots of FSH, which stimulates the
  follicles in the ovary (one each cycle). An egg
  ripens. Endometrium grows. Estrogen increases.
• Days 10-14
• Ovum continues to grow and bursts free of
  follicle on day 14 ovulation. Endometrium at
  its thickest, in preparation for possible
  pregnancy. High levels of estrogen signal the
  pituitary to decrease FSH and also signal the
  hypothalamus to produce GNRH. GNRH signals the
  pituitary to produce LH.

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MENSTRUATION

• MENSTRUAL CYCLE
• 28 days
• Days 15-28
• The follicle turns into the corpus luteum (yellow
  body), which makes lots of progesterone (to
  maintain pregnancy). High levels of progesterone
  signal the pituitary to stop LH production, and
  the corpus luteum degenerates toward day 26. This
  leads to a sharp decrease in estrogen and
  progesterone and the cycle starts anew.
• All these feed-back loops go through the
  hypothalamus, as only the hypothalamus can
  influence the pituitary.

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MENSTRUATION

• Ovulation
• Mittelschmerz (pain of the middle of the month)
• Anovulatory cycles (esp. adolescents and
  climacteric)
• Basal body temperature fluctuations
• There is an OTC kit that analyzes saliva and
  pinpoints ovulation
• saliva ferns at ovulation just like ovulatory
  mucus

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MENSTRUATION

• Ovulation (Contd)
• Changes in cervical mucus during cycle
• Regular functions of non-ovulatory mucus
• lubrication
• bacteriostatic
• pH regulation (acid)
• It is cloudy, whitish, thick, most of cycle

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MENSTRUATION

• Ovulation (Contd)
• Ovulatory cervical mucus
• days 12-16 of cycle duration varies, some women
  only hours. It is transparent, very stretchy,
  like raw egg white
• Functions
• To help sperm
• regulating pH (normal to alkaline)
• sugars
• conveyor (fern pattern)

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CHANGES IN BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE
TEMP.
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MENSTRUATION

• New Pill Suppresses Menstruation
• What might the consequences be?
• Benefits

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MENSTRUATION

• Warning
• Menstrual products can be hazardous to your
  health!
• Presence of staphilococcus aureus, particularly
  when using tampons, can lead to toxic shock
  syndrome (TSS), can be fatal.
• Absorbent fibers also absorb normal vaginal
  secretions, leading to drying and, occasionally,
  ulceration, painful intercourse.
• Bleaching chemicals dioxin used in sanitary
  products
• powerful carcinogen
• can affect hormones
• immunosuppressant
• endometriosis

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Environmental Damage

• Disposable sanitary products contaminate water
  sources, both at factory sites and when disposed.
• Dioxin affects fish, birds, etc.
• If incinerated, toxic gases released (acid rain,
  global warming)
• Alternative products are available!